MIKE METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.20am. LOCAL markets opened stronger on Wednesday, as Asian exchanges registered strong gains and Nedbank cut prime lending rates. Other commercial banks are likely to follow suit, leading to higher liquidity in the marketplace. The all share joined in the general global cheer, picking up 48 points to 6007 at […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 4.30pm. THE mini-league phase of the African Champions League reaches a climax this weekend with four clubs chasing places in the two-leg final. Hearts of Oak from Ghana must win by at least two goals away to Dynamos of Zimbabwe in Group A to prevent the Harare club becoming the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT and AFP, Harare | Wednesday 10.45pm. THE violence that erupted on the streets of the Zimbabwean capital Harare on Wednesday morning had subsided by the afternoon, although buses and minibus taxis satyed off the roads for fear of coming under attack by protesters boycotting public transport after fare increases. Wednesday’s rioting and boycott […]

SIZWE samaYENDE, Messina | Wednesday 1.30pm. Northern Province farmers and police are set to defend themselves on charges of systematic abuse of labourers in the province during a two-day Human Rights Commission hearing beginning in Messina’s Agricultural Hall on Wednesday. The hearings are a continuation of damning testimony from labourers heard before the commission in […]

ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Wednesday 10.10am. STATISTICS on the incidence of serious crime for the period between January and June 1998 released by the South African Police Service’s Crime Information Management Centre in Parliament on Tuesday shows that violent crime has increased in South Africa, with farm attacks in particular shooting through the roof. Attacks […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Tuesday 1.00pm. OIL group Engen on Monday posted a 36,2% rise in headline earnings a share and a 4,4% rise in turnover to R13,1-billion for the year to August, Engen CE Rob Angel said on Monday. The rise in headline earnings brings Engen’s earnings per share to 312c, added to which […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 6.00pm. AFTER a disastrous Currie Cup season, Louis Luyt’s Golden Lions Rugby Union have bought nearly half of the Free State side, it was reported on Monday. Flyhalf MJ Smith confirmed on Saturday night that he will be relocating to the Lion’s Johannesburg home, Ellis Park, Business Day reported. He […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Pretoria | Monday 7.00pm. RUTH First had turned away from active involvement in the African National Congress to concentrate on her academic career at a university in Maputo in Mozambique some time before she was killed by a letter bomb sent by the apartheid security forces, Transport Minister Mac Maharaj said on Monday. […]

JOE KAUNDA, Luanda | Monday 7.15pm. ANGOLAN police announced last week that all Unita-aligned members of the national police service will be demobilised. This comes after the Angolan parliament two weeks ago passed a resolution to strip rebel leader Jonas Savimbi of his special status. In announcing the demobilisation, National Police commander Fernado dos Santos […]

SARAH BULLEN, Johannesburg | Monday 5.30pm. LOCAL markets had a strong day across the board on Monday, bouncing off stronger international markets that found touch with news of US support for an International Monetary Fund relief package. Dealers said the announcement that the United States Senate has passed an IMF plan to assist ailing economies […]